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More Maintenance Hints
The following commentary was
received from Edwin Frederick, Owner of Frederick Service Co., and is posted here for your
information.
"As a professional
colleague, I thoroughly
enjoyed most of the Clipper Shacks' narrative (see page 1 of this
Menu). A terrific sense of humor is of vital importance to maintain some sense of sanity
in this world; however, I shudder at the thought of the perilous scenarios that surely
exist when you might choose to dip any running electrical device into a liquid such as
water OR kerosene."
"Compounding this potentially grievous
error by the fact that at the same time you might be dipping your way into
possible electrocution, you may even be introducing an
excellent ignition
source to a very volatile source of fossil fuel; But, then again, the initial blast and
ensuing flash fire would probably get the hair out of your blades! Even in a worst case
scenario, where you weren't electrocuted in addition to be burned in the flash fire,
surely the high pressure hoses the firefighters used to dowse the remaining embers of your
way of life would finish cleaning the hair from your blades. I recommend blowing them
clean with a dryer nozzle or use a bristle brush and a powerful vacuum cleaner."
Edwin Frederick
Ed. Note: Mr. Frederick makes
a good safety point. In nearly 40 years in this industry I cannot tell you how many
groomers I have seen immersing the blade portion their running clippers in liquids, and I
am happy to say I know no one that went to pieces. Take heed!
Where to Find Grooming Products
PetGroomer.com provides you with easy access
to many suppliers of pet grooming products, including mail order
catalogs. The PetGroomer.com Buyer's Guide lists many product distributors.
Pet industry trade shows are a terrific way to
see pet grooming products and talk with product representatives. Look in the
PetGroomer.com Calendar for a show near you. Don't forget that
many products are advertised in leading trade magazines.
Members of the pet grooming industry often receive complimentary subscriptions.
When Sharpening Isn't Enough
One of the easiest and least
expensive ways of making sure
your clippers are working well
is also one of the most
overlooked. It's the BLADE DRIVE
or LEVER that moves the blade
back and forth. It should be
replaced on a regular basis.
This relates to all brands of
clippers; Andis, Laube, Oster &
WAHL. Faster and more powerful
clippers need the drive lever
changed even more frequently.
Also remember, the more pets you
groom, the more often the drive
lever needs to be changed.
Grooming an average of 24 pets a
week usually requires the drive
lever to be changed every 1 to 2
months.
It
will not necessarily look worn
to you. When it's not working
properly there are other signs
you may notice. Your clipper,
even though it's running fine,
will seem to lack power. The
blades will have a tendency to
pull the hair, leave hair
behind, stick or leave streaks.
Blades may also be noisier, and
you may find that some blades
work on your clippers and other
don't. All of these conditions
are signs of a worn blade drive
or lever. Even the sharpest
blade may cut poorly, or not at
all when the drive lever is
worn.
A
drive lever typically costs less
than having one blade sharpened,
so it's an inexpensive way to
optimize clipper performance.
It's a good practice to keep an
extra drive lever on hand.
Repeatedly having your blades
sharpened, when you really need
to replace a worn drive lever,
unnecessarily increases your
costs and shortens the life of
your blades.
One Final Note:
Because of today's faster and
more powerful clippers it is
more important than ever to
regularly oil your blades (spray
coolants are not a substitute).
It is recommended to oil each
blade before every use. Also,
running your clipper continually
on the highest speed is usually
not necessary. Run on lower
speeds unless you get into
heavier coats and matting. This
reduces blade heat and extends
the life of your blades and
clippers!
Copyright
Barry Peterson 2005
All rights reserved
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